Ushers at Miller Park

[panthernick]

I know that there has previously been a thread about this, yet I could not find it. Also, if this needs to be moved, please feel free.

I'm looking for some advice. First the background, I am a 26 y/o first year season ticket holder with the Brewers. I hold a 20 game pack in the field bleachers, yet I have been to about 45-50 games this year. I routinely spend money at the concession stands as well as in the team store on Brewers merchandise (I am addicted to tshirt jerseys).

So to the story, last night I had terrace tickets that I had purchased from a friend. My buddy and I really don't care to sit in the terrace and therefore we chose to stand behind RF in the open area close to the scoreboard (on the 200 level). One of my favorite things to do at games in eat sunflower seeds, its a pastime that goes back to when I played baseball as a kid.

Nonetheless, my buddy and I are standing there eating our seeds and spitting out the shells and the usher from 202 comes up and says "thats quite a mess". My buddy in turn didn't really know how to respond, and just kind of nodded his head. None the less 2 minutes later, another usher comes over while I am on the phone and gets directly in my buddies face and tell him "stop spitting seeds on the floor right now."

Frankly, I was taken back by this and hung up on my phone call. My buddy then asked him what he would like him to do with the shells, he wasn't going to swallow them, to which the usher told him he didn't care but don't spit them on the ground. I then told the gentleman that I really didn't appreciate the tone he was giving us and that I was a season ticket holder and did not appreciate being treated this way. He then quickly pointed at the police officers about 40 feet away and said "how about I have them kick you out?"

Now I was mad. I asked the gentleman for his name, which I got, and told him that I would be talking to my season ticket rep about this (especially since I had to talk to him about my $2000 playoff ticket invoice that I had received about 2 hours earlier). Finally, I went and got us cups from the concession stands (missing the game that I had paid to come watch to do so) and all was resolved.

Nonetheless, even the usher from 202 that had previously had the original issue went into damage control. He came over and said "my boss wasn't very diplomatic was he?" and then he proceeded to try and chat us up in order to smooth things over.

Am I completely off base in letting the Brewers know about my complaint? Thanks for all of your opinions.

(inserted paragraph divisions --1992)

[Fatter than Joey]

Am I completely off base in letting the Brewers know about my complaint?

 

I think so -- Standing in one spot and spitting out seeds is pretty gross, I can see how an usher would be ticked off by it.

 

I don't see how being a season ticket holder necessitates you any special privileges than a single game ticket holder.

 

I am sure you guys are good guys, and certainly the usher could have asked you guys to use a cup first, but he was probably empathizing with the dude who has to clean up your mess. I wouldn't complain, and I would make sure to find that usher again and apologize, and I am betting he will give you first rate treatment after that.

[Patrick425]

I also am a season ticket holder and I eat peanuts at the game all the time and just throw the shells on the ground. Maybe it's a little different because they are dry shells and not coming directly from my mouth. Also, since it seems like you were standing out in a "public" area and not at your seats, they might have a different policy about disposing of food items on the floor. At any rate, it does seem like the usher could have handled the situation in a friendlier manner.

[sgtcluels]

I would complain about the Ushers boss not the usher himself. Looks like he just went to his boss for a question about the seed spit. (I assume they dont' want seeds all over the walking area due to making it slippery). But his boss handled it horribly, and I'd think you'd be justified in a complaint.

[dhoffman19]

Yeah, you're off-base. The guy could have handled it better but I don't see why you think you should be able to spit your shells on the floor. Someone is going to have to clean that up. Even though it's a ballpark, how hard is it to get a cup to spit the shells in? Being a season-ticket holder is irrelevant.

 

Again, the guy overreacted a bit but he may have been thinking of whoever has to clean it up.

[Braminano]

I think if you're in your seats doing that, it's fine, but since you were just standing around and spitting them out in a public area, that was the issue. It was wrong of the guy to threaten to bring in the cops after you established that you were a season ticket holder, as it is always best to cater to season ticket owners. At the same time, you aren't entitled to openly make a small mess in an area that isn't your seats. In the end, if you do it again, I'd just have the cup and that way there is no controversy.

[TauPentaRei]

Finally, I went and got us cups from the concession stands

Thanks for all of your opinions.

Way off base. Kudos to your simple solution to maintain your pastime.

[brewcrew00]

I'm amazed they gave you cups, concession stands treat them like gold. I've asked for a small cup to get some water on numerous occasions and have yet to receive one.

[panthernick]

Thanks for all of the opinions. They have brought to light some of the issues that I previously hadn't thought of. I think the thing that bothered me most about the situation was the threat of removal by the police. It really seemed unnecessary.

I don't believe being a season ticket holder grants me any sort of special privilage. I guess I simply put it out there because I wanted to say "hey, I am regular customer here".

[1992casey]

I agree those who've stated that it was probably a bad idea to be spitting a fairly large number of seeds in an area where people will be walking.

 

The usher dropped the ball, however, when he approached you by saying, "That's quite a mess." He should have stated exactly what the issue was and been ready with a solution.

[liveforoctober]

Yes, I think you are off base. To put it frankly... that is disgusting. Miller Park is a public venue nonetheless, and sunflower seed shells are too small (and after having been in someone's mouth) to be swept up... so they'd have to be cleaned some other way. Peanut shells are absolutely different.

I doubt you two were meaning to be jerks, so the usher shouldn't have been hostile... but spitting shells is very gross.

[brewcrew00]

To be fair, the stadium is cleaned with the zamboni type machines in the concourses and with leaf blowers in the stands. The cleaning aspect of the seeds is a non issue.

[Patrick425]

I don't see how being a season ticket holder necessitates you any special privileges than a single game ticket holder.

Maybe not in this particular situation. However, in general, I look at it like anything else. If you frequent a business and spend a lot of money there, then I would hope that business would take steps to ensure you remain a loyal customer. I have renewed my season tickets through many bad years (after strike years, after 100+ loss seasons, when the Brewers where drawing 1.5 million at County stadium and you couldn't find anyone to even give a ticket to.). I also attend spring training on a regular basis and spend money down in Maryvale. For that loyalty, I don't think it's wrong to expect some "perks" now and then over and above the customer that goes to 1 or 2 games a year.

[patrickgpe]

part of the problem with that is when you get around 2.7 million visitors its hard to know the regulars.

[BillScottCanRake]

There are really two issues here.

 

The first is whether or not spitting the shells was a problem, which I think most would agree is a problem. The second is how the ushers handled the situation.

 

If the usher(s) didn't handle the situation appropriately, you are not off-base complaining about it, regardless of whether or not what you were doing with the shells was wrong. The usher's job is to ensure that fans follow the rules and make sure that they have an enjoyable experience at the park and they take appropriate actions to ensure an enjoyable experience for all. Threatening you with a police ejection is a bit over-the-top and probably falls into "inappropriate actions".

 

If you decide to make some sort of complaint, I suggest very strongly that you freely admit that spitting the shells was a bad idea, and that you fully agree with both ushers not wanting you to do that, and that your complaint against the second usher is strictly based on the unprofessional and threatening manner in which he handled the situation.

 

Personally, I wouldn't complain, as I'd doubt it would accomplish all that much, but I think you'd have grounds for doing so.

[bbrauch2000]

When it comes down to complaining about someone's job performance, i guess you have to ask yourself if the inconvenience you faced is worth potentially causing someone to lose their job. I was an usher in high school and the discipline policies back then were pretty strict

[panthernick]

When it comes down to complaining about someone's job performance, i guess you have to ask yourself if the inconvenience you faced is worth potentially causing someone to lose their job. I was an usher in high school and the discipline policies back then were pretty strict

 

You make a great point. This is exactly why I will not be complaining. Everyone has bad days, I just hope that the gentleman handles these situations a tad better in the future.

[Patrick425]

When it comes down to complaining about someone's job performance, i guess you have to ask yourself if the inconvenience you faced is worth potentially causing someone to lose their job. I was an usher in high school and the discipline policies back then were pretty strict

At the same time, if, as an usher, you are aware of strict discipline policies, shouldn't this cause you to think twice about how you handle situations. You know..the whole don't do the crime if you can't do the time thing.

[lcbj68c]

The usher dropped the ball, however, when he approached you by saying, "That's quite a mess." He should have stated exactly what the issue was and been ready with a solution.

That was my first thought. Totally unprofessional and that is my problem with some ushers at Miller Park. Don't beat around the bush, don't try and be cute or condescending. Just tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it. That said, all the banter regarding how much money you spend at Miller Park is really irrellevant. It kind of almost says, "I pay your salary." and I hate that false ideal.

[jhart05]

The usher could have and should have handled it better, he should have just politely asked you go get a cup.

 

Sorry, but I don't see much of a difference between sunflower seed shells and peanut shells. If you think it's gross, don't look. I find many other things at the park that I find "grosser".

 

 

I wish the ushers would be more of an ass out in my section of the bleachers or really that the people in the stands could be more considerate of others. I wish they would tell people to stop pounding on the back of the seats. If you want to pound on the seats when everyone is standing, that's cool with me, no problems there. But when everyone is sitting down and you're doing it, it's very annoying and uncomfortable.

 

 

(EDIT: changed "a$$" to "ass"; members can say "ass," but circumventing the filter is against the rules --1992)

[Fatter than Joey]

Sorry, but I don't see much of a difference between sunflower seed shells and peanut shells. If you think it's gross, don't look.

 

Sunflower seeds are wet, and if allowed to accumulate could get icky. Generally people do not put peanut shells in their mouth.

[TauPentaRei]

I am a 26 y/o first year season ticket holder with the Brewers. I hold a 20 game pack in the field bleachers,...

If I'm the usher, I note the repulsive situation and use my authority to get 2 cups from the concession stand.

 

I walk over with the 2 cups, express (non-verbally, perhaps) my disapproval of the unconventional and un-hygienic mess and say "guys, please use these for your shells from now on."

 

So it appears both parties are "off base" here.

 

But since when did purchasing a 20 game pack bestow "season ticket holder" status? I don't mean to provoke, I mean to add "partial" in there somewhere.

[tristarscoop]

My first thought when you said where you were standing was wondering if your spitting seeds could end up on the field/in the bullpen.

 

Edit:

 

I also always see people just plain spitting on the ground at Miller Park, which is beyond disgusting. And I think a lot of people put the seeds in the same situation as that.

 

Think of it this way: You spit on the floor. The guy who's sitting behind me steps in it, goes to his seat and puts his feet/shoes on my seat (say he steps on the seat to get to his, or rests his feet on my bleacher seat before I get there). Now if I touch the seat, think about what I'm touching ...

[JonnyLungs]

At least you weren't spitting tobacco on the ground. I always try to spit my tobacco into an empty beer bottle. Naturally when I set it down, it get knocked over under my seat though.

[BrewCityUnit]

I think it is funny that you are complaining that you missed part of the game because you had to go get cups but yet you were on your cell phone missing the game when the issues started.

 

Also, if you had terrace level tickets, you should have been in the terrace level.